Snowy Dawn
by AuroraAustralice
Summary: Set in Imperial Russia; Draco is next in line to the Czar until he is convicted for a crime he did not commit, exiled from his land he is bitter and angry until he meets Hermione; the beautiful gypsy who captures him with her soulful eyes and her beautiful voice. Even while serving his exile he cannot forget her. When he returns he finds Russia in turmoil (Full Summery Inside)
1. Chapter 1

_**Snowy Dawn**_

Set in the cold backdrop of Imperial Russia; Draco Malfoy is next in line to be Czar until he is found guilty of a crime he didn't commit. Angry, bitter and jaded he travels to the small village of Rusketvaya where he meets the beautiful gypsy Hermione and is immediately attracted to her dark, seductive eyes, her olive skin that gleamed in the firelight but most of all to her seductive voice that lament's soulfully, sadly of lost love and princes who die at war, lovers slain and women alone with their children. He is pulled deeply into her gypsy spell, unable to forget her even as he serves out his seven year exile in the harsh lands of Caucasus.

He returns to Saint. Petersburg, furious that it took his court seven years to find out that he was not guilty but now the harsh conditions and the brutal training have taken their toll on him, made him a hardened mercenary who sees the despair that Russia has fallen into; nobles living their lavish life whilst peasants die on the streets hungry.

He also sees the rebellion bubbling; the fury of his people at the incompetent government that his cousin has been running, determined to cure the ailing rule he takes over by overthrowing his cousin but when he sees Hermione years later dancing on the street for coins he hasn't forgotten her but a monarch cannot marry a gypsy! It is blasphemous and the church would never allow it and even if they could be together, the lands people are out for blood.

Can their love survive a revolution? Can their love endure despite the obstacles?

….

**Setting:** Imperial Russia

AU

**Rating:** M

**Pairing:** Hermione/ Draco

_**Tell me what you think?**_


	2. One

_**Snowy Dawn 0I**_

_**Narrator:**_ _Welcome reader to the world of the Tsar, the richest, most powerful Pasha in the world. As well as the most corrupt, selfish, greedy man in the world. The glitzy life of Russian royalty hides the dark, rancid interiors of their corrupt rule. The land is rotting, its morals decaying under a pile of gold_.

….

"Unhand me Boris you brute, I can walk!" growled the tall blond boy, jerking away from sweaty, meaty hands of his jailer.

"Not here princeling; here your just a common convict!" said Boris laughing raucously, enjoying his power over the young Tsar Prince.

"Get it off…" said the young prince threateningly; his voice cold.

"Or what princeling, you'll ask your father to execute me?" said the jailer, not bowing to the boy's coldly threatening command.

"No Boris my friend; I'll kill you… murder you just like I murdered Countess Klavdia or so everyone says I did, who knows, I might just murder you in your sleep?" said the prince shrugging mockingly; his menacing smirk causing the jailer to reconsider the position of his hand.

"Don't give me your cheek boy." Growled the huge bear of a man, smacking the young prince hard with one huge, ham fisted hand. "When we get of this caravan to rest, don't you think of running; otherwise…" he glared acidly; giving Draco a cold malicious smile.

Suddenly the horses whinnied uncomfortably and the stinky carriage carrying all the exiles came to an abrupt stop.

Boris got out and yelled to the driver; speaking to him in rough Estonian demanding the reason for the abrupt stop of the vehicle.

"The axle is broken My Lord!" cried the poor wretch as Boris lifted up his whip to strike the man.

"I have murderers, thieves and criminals here you fool! We must reach the far posts before dawn or the Tsar Nikoli will have my head!" said the enraged guard.

"There is nothing to do my lord; the snow is much too deep. We must spend the night here in the village!" said the driver, looking nervously at the convicts sitting silently in the dingy caravan.

Boris growled under his breath and cracked his whip against a stone and yelled; "Come out you bastards, dogs the lot of you! We will make camp here for the night; no sane person will harbor you, so sleep in the snow and if I hear even one complaint; the man will be rewarded with a thousand lashes of my whip! Get a move on!"

Draco looked at the white faces of all the boys in the caravan with him; they were all his age, seventeen, eighteen some younger and all terrified.

The Tsar Nikoli was too much of a gentleman to demand young men to be trained as soldiers so instead he had his guards fabricate lies and convictions for young men so that he could then demand they be exiled to the Empire's lone borders.

No one wanted to join the Imperial army; death came to knock on those who do's door much too early. They had to keep fighting of invaders and brigands who wanted to take over Russia and the conditions were dire. Most of the lone borders; temperatures were well into freezing degrees and the wild animals were vicious; starved as they were they didn't mind hunting human. The training was harsh and brutal; torture was a more apt word for it.

If Draco was honest he would admit he was dead scared to go to Caucasus but he was a prince; it was not in his bones and blood to show fear especially to bullies and cowards like the dirty Boris.

He would take the first step; so courageously Draco ventured out into the biting cold and slowly behind him the other boys began to follow, their steps small and hesitant.

Boris and the rest of the guards all wore warm furs that would protect them from the cold; the prisoner's on the other hand wore just thick, rough woven cloth. It would give them no insulation so they moved to one side and sat down together, huddled close for the purpose of warmth.

Their arms and legs were bound tightly in the newest invention from Moscow; hand and leg cuffs, they were much like the manacles from the dungeons in Draco's fathers' house but these were made of lighter material yet they were as resilient so no one could escape.

There was only enough kindling for a single fire and soon the night began to fall over the cold landscape and the villagers began to return to their homes. As they walked by they glared and cursed the small group of convicts some even pelted them with huge rocks but the boys remained silent, too scared to speak least they be lashed a thousand times.

"First the bloody gypsies and now this lot. What is this village? A magnet for all the scum!" muttered one old man disgustedly as he walked back to his home, "You keep these animals away from our homes! You hear guards! I am a poor man, I don't want to wake up and find that I have been robbed!" he said angrily; spitting viciously near the feet of the closest convict.

"It'll cost you my dear man; just bring us some wine and food and we'll see to it that these dogs are kept safely shackled!" said Boris; his mean little eyes glinting with a flame of greed.

Eventually all the villagers were home and the food for the guards was brought out; scraps were thrown to the young boys who fell onto them with gusto. For they had been starved for the last two days of the journey; now replete and full the guards lounged around the roaring fire they had made for themselves until the creaking of an old caravan reached their ears.

"Who goes there!?" cried Sasha jumping up with his sword he was a young soldier who had been recruited much like these boys here, by fabrication of a crime he didn't commit.

And old voice called out for beyond the darkness, "We are just gypsies my lord; not here to cause you or your men any harm. Let us make our camp here and we will share our wine and stores with you…"

…..

**A/N: _This is just a small preview; the chapters are of- course longer but I would really love to hear back from ya'll. So do review :) _**


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